Cape Wrath Challenge 2013

8 Jaguars took the 700 mile  journey north to Durness the most north-westerly settlement in mainland Britain for a week of running on the beautiful hills and beaches of Sutherland.

The Cape Wrath Challenge  offers a range of running events throughout the week starting with a 10k road race around the shores of Loch Eriboll on day one, followed by two days of challenging off  road runs in the trails around Durness, day four offers a gentle but fun fancy dress beach run, then after a welcome rest day the final day brings the challenge itself. The challenge is a full distance marathon which can be run by a single runner or in teams of two or three as a relay.

With Dave Hutcheon acting as official photographer, documentary maker and support crew for the week the 7 other  Jags all competed in the 10k race and were helped by a tail wind for the first half which was gently undulating, but this could do nothing to assist in the second half as the race takes a considerable uphill profile and turned into the wind. Mark Haynes was 3rd overall ina a time of 41.50, followed by Richard Collyer (44.34), Ady Jay (47.08) Sarah Jay (51.24) Dawn Collyer (58.06) Brenda Hutcheon (60.06) Ali Haynes (64.36)

Mark Haynes was the only Jaguar to take on the full challenge, which is billed as the UK’s toughest marathon and with 2600 feet of ascent  strong winds and horizontal rain to contend with it certainly felt that way. This was Mark’s first marathon and despite suffering with a knee injury throughout the race he finished with a superb time of 3 hrs 43 mins. Ady and Sarah Jay together with Brenda Hutcheon took on the three person relay event, where two runners complete 11 miles each with the third completing the 26.2 and finished in second place overall in a total time of 3.57.27  narrowly beating Richard and Dawn Collyer who had to recruit an honorary Jaguar (Helen Renshaw of  Thornbury RC) for the final leg and finished in 3.59.40.

Full results can be seen on the official Cape Wrath Challenge website the front page of which now displays a picture of Sarah, Richard and Ady painting the landscape orange whilst running the 10 mile round Durness run on day 3.
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